Before Genesis Bond-Hollingsworth was old enough to participate, her grandmother had stored memories of Catalyst’s WIOA program in her mind for future use.
“She went to Catalyst for some type of employment service and saw a flyer for the WIOA program, which said she started at age 14 and offers a variety of academic resources and a variety of employment opportunities. My sister and I weren’t old enough yet, but she took that to heart,” Bond-Hollingsworth said.
So, when the time came, her grandmother dug into the memories in the back of her brain and started calling Catalyst employees, asking if the program was still available and how she could get involved. .
This program is funded by a combination of WIOA and TANF funds from Richland County Employment and Family Services to help individuals with barriers to employment or educational goals reach their full potential and reach their milestones. We support you.
“I oversee the WIOA Youth Program at Catalyst Life Services and have been a part of Genesis’ journey since she came to us. “Genesis joined the program as an eighth grader in 2019 and has achieved impressive milestones since then,” said Stephanie, Assistant Director of Vocational Services.・Jakubic said.
For example, Bond-Hollingsworth’s academic success and strength of character earned her a full scholarship to the prestigious Madeira School for Girls in McLean, Virginia, at just 16 years old.
She is passionate about education, gaining valuable work experience through an internship with the NAACP and honing her administrative skills over the summer. Through Catalyst, she actively participated in “Bring Your A Game to Work” life skills classes and honed important soft skills to prepare for her future career.
Staff working in this program work one-on-one with youth participants to reduce the impact of barriers and provide educational and employment coaching to ensure participant success.
Bond-Hollingsworth’s grandmother saw the program as a great opportunity for her grandchildren to start working, while also providing resources to help them transition into adulthood and the workforce.
She also saw WIOA as a way to give back to herself and the world around her and find comfort in conversation and connection.
“She felt this would be a way for us to be able to develop different employment skills that we would need in the future, while also being more connected to where we live now, because from Columbus to Mansfield, Migration is an adjustment because there are two very different dynamics.”
“With WIOA, I was able to find people in the area, meet other people, and feel less alone. I learned more about myself and between these two different dynamics, and the world itself. I was able to learn more about how I fit in,” Bond-Hollingsworth said.
Bond-Hollingsworth just returned to Atlanta as a sophomore at Emory University, where she is studying political science in a pre-law course on the Oxford campus.
“Although this is one of Emory’s smaller campuses, it is also the only campus that focuses exclusively on first- and second-year students, giving them the opportunity to focus on their first two years,” Professor Bond-Hollingsworth said.
Catalyst staff still check in with questions like, “Do you need help with the application process?” or “Do I need a specific practice course?”
She reflects on how much Catalyst helped her with seemingly small but important aspects of this time, such as making sure she had access to school textbooks.
“It’s the details that sometimes get overlooked that really matter. They were the first people to help me with this and I wouldn’t be here without them,” Bond-Hollingsworth said. spoke.
As my education progresses, I would like to participate in a graduate fellowship where I can explore my passion for teaching before enrolling in full-time law school.
While residing in Mansfield over the summer, Ms. Bond-Hollingsworth was able to work with the Mansfield Friendly House’s Summer Fun Program, where she shared her love of working with children and their appreciation for authenticity. I discovered gratitude.
“They are very in tune with what they want and can also tell the difference between those who really care about them and those who don’t. They know right from wrong. All they have is nurturing and love and kindness to encourage them to do what they know is right,” Bond-Hollingsworth said.
Click here to learn more about Catalyst’s WIOA program and how to get involved.
“Genesis has shown incredible humility and appreciation for the services provided and wants to inspire more young people to take advantage of similar opportunities. Her story is It exemplifies how the WIOA Youth Program can empower young people to realize their educational and career dreams,” Jakuvik said.
Interested in contacting Catalyst? WIOA Youth Services Coordinator Bob Nelson (419-774-2200 or nelson@catalystlifeservices.org) provides direct access for those interested in learning more about WIOA.
